Pastor Jennifer McCurry is departing her part-time position as Coordinator of Spiritual Life at Point Park for a full-time position at Carnegie Mellon University.
McCurry began working for Point Park in Feb. 2019 on a contract of eight hours per week from First Lutheran Church.
Her last day on campus as Coordinator of Spiritual Life will be this coming Sunday, Feb. 18.
Dean of Student Life, Michael Gieseke, said that the university currently does not have anyone slated to fill the now vacant position.
“It was truly a volunteer position in a sense, her full time job was with the church,” Gieseke said. “As part of her outreach, she connected with [the] university.”
McCurry was fully employed by First Lutheran Church and discussed the influence her faith had on her decision to move.
“In Christian circles, we talk about a sense of calling to the vocational lives we have,” McCurry said. “It can be both secular and spiritual.”
McCurry said she was open to learning about the position at Carnegie Mellon and felt a calling to the new role.
According to the Spiritual Life page of Point Park’s website, McCurry worked to support students, staff and faculty in a range of faith backgrounds as they practiced and explored their denominations.
McCurry said she hopes the Interfaith Meditation Room will continue in her absence.
“It’s sort of the chance to practice meditation in a respectful way to bring in whatever you believe and get the chance to learn from other traditions by experience,” McCurry said.
Sophie Gronczewski, a junior dance major, said she thinks someone should replace McCurry.
“I think that it’s important that we have a space [on campus] for students to connect with spirituality and religion if they chose to,” Gronczewski said. “I do think that we should have somebody who oversees that.”
President of Shalom Club and senior political science major Trevor FitzSimmons said McCurry will be missed.
“[McCurry] helped Shalom build connections to the greater Pittsburgh interfaith community, and has supported Shalom since day one,” FitzSimmons said. “I sincerely hope that the university plans on filling this now vacant position, and plans to inform the students of any changes in the spiritual life office.”
There has not yet been an announcement on what the university plans to do with both the Spiritual Life Office and the InterFaith meditation chamber.
“It’s been such a joy to be with you all,” McCurry said. “I don’t think that I would have known that I’d like to do this full time had it not been for my chance to be at Point Park.”
